Places of interest

Pokémon academy

A Pokémon academy is a school where students and Trainers can learn more about Pokémon. Most beginning Trainers visit at least one of them, and common Trainers who study extensively at these locations are Lasses, School Kids, and Scientists. Much like the Pokémon academy in Violet City, this building, located in the center of Viridian in Generation III only, is dedicated to teaching the basics of Pokémon to inexperienced Trainers. Many Trainers that pass through Viridian fall under this category, making the city an ideal location. In Generations II and IV this school was rebuilt as the Trainer House.

Old man

There is a grumpy old man that lives in central Viridian City that will not let Trainer's pass through to Route 2, until he has had his coffee for the day. In the original Japanese games, the old man is not grumpy from lack of coffee, but is rather drunk and has passed out in the middle of the road much to the dismay of his grandchild. This is just a barrier in the game, so players will not wander past Viridian City until the player goes to the Viridian Poké Mart and delivers a parcel to Professor Oak.

Trainer House

In Generation II and HeartGold and SoulSilver, the Trainer House replaces the Pokémon academy. On entry, the first floor has a few people and a small desk. The basement is mostly comprised of a large open area with only a desk located at the top of the room and an open battlefield on the lower portion. After the battle, the player cannot re-challenge the Trainers in the basement until the next day.

In Generation II, the Trainer will be the last player he or she has used Mystery Gift with, or in the case the player has never used Mystery Gift with anyone, Cal. If this Trainer is another player that he or she has used Mystery Gift with, their team will consist of whatever Pokémon were in their party at the time of using Mystery Gift, including held items, moves, levels, and stats. Regardless of which Trainer it is, the opposing Trainer's sprite will be of Ethan.

In HeartGold and SoulSilver, the player will initially encounter only Ace TrainerCal. When the player meets someone in the Pokéwalker and re-syncs it back to the player's game, the Trainer and their Pokémon will appear in the basement. Up to 10 additional Trainers may be encountered in this way. Like Generation II, these Trainers' teams will consist of whatever Pokémon were in their parties at the time of re-syncing with the Pokéwalker, including held items, moves, levels, and stats. Unlike Generation II, if a Pokémon's level is above 50, its level is reduced to 50 like a battle under the Flat Battle rules. Players will earn no EXP or money, but will receive 1 BP for each battle.

Generation II

TRAINER HOUSE
The Club for Top
Trainer Battles

Generation IV

Trainer House
The Club for Top Trainer Battles

Viridian Gym

The Viridian Gym is the official Gym of Viridian City. It is based on Ground-typePokémon. The Leader is Giovanni, the head of Team Rocket. Trainers who defeat him receive the Earth Badge. Viridian Gym appears in all games set in the Kanto region. In Generation I and III, when the player makes their first encounter with the Gym, it is locked because of the absence of the Gym Leader. With this acknowledged, the player journeys off onto other Gyms to challenge them. Once this has been accomplished and the player has collected the other seven Gym Badges, the Viridian Gym reopens.

Inside the Gym, the floor uses the same transporting tiles as in the Rocket Hideout. The player must use these tiles to navigate through the Gym to reach Giovanni. In Generation II and IV, Blue takes over the Gym. In Generation II, the Gym is completely remodeled and the tiles are now gone. In Generation IV, the tiles are put back up. The maze of tiles is roughly the same shape of the original Generation II Gym. The colors of the Gym's exterior are based on the colors most associated with the type that the Gym specializes in. Viridian Gym, however, is both green and blue, likely referring to its Gym Leader's name.

In Generation I, a Revive can be found, while a Macho Brace replaces it in Generation III, making it the only Gym with items in it. This is the only Gym to be based on 3 different types throughout the games and anime and the only one to not have a type for a generation. In all generations aside from Generation III, at least one Trainer in the Viridian Gym owned a Rhydon, while in Generation III, all of Giovanni's Pokémon knew Earthquake.

A colored background means that the Pokémon can be found in this location in the specified game. A white background with a colored letter means that the Pokémon cannot be found here.

Differences between generations

Generation I and III

Viridian City is very consistent in the way of layout throughout each generation. There are no notable differences between the Generation I and Generation III games, except for houses being slightly bigger and some buildings repositioned. Trees have become bigger, flowers are more visible, and most other sprites have been upgraded to Generation III standards. Most of the towns residence remain the same, and will tell Trainers the same message. Items that are given out, however, are different from generation to generation.

Generation II and IV

The differences between the Generation II and IV and Generation I and III games are more noticeable. The Pokémon academy seen in Generation III has been replaced with the giant Trainer House, and other buildings were added as well. Within the Trainer House in Generation II, Trainers will battle either Cal, if the player has never used Mystery Gift with anyone, or the last player he or she has used Mystery Gift with. In Generation IV, the player may either battle Cal and up to 10 Trainers who they met on their Pokéwalker.

Trainer Tips

Generation I

TRAINER TIPS
The battle moves
of POKéMON are
limited by their
POWER POINTs, PP.
To replenish PP,
rest your tired
POKéMON at a
POKéMON CENTER!

TRAINER TIPS
Catch POKéMON
and expand your
collection!
The more you have,
the easier it is
to fight!

Generation III

TRAINER TIPS
The battle moves of POKéMON are
limited by their POWER POINTS, PP.
To replenish PP, rest your tired
POKéMON at a POKéMON CENTER.

TRAINER TIPS
Catch POKéMON and expand your
collection.
The more you have, the easier it
is to battle.

In the spin-off games

In Pokémon Pinball

In the anime

Viridian City's Pokémon Center.

Viridian City was first visited in Pokémon Emergency!, when Ash Ketchum took his injured Pikachu to the Pokémon Center here. When entering the town, Ash was stopped by Viridian City's Officer Jenny, who found him suspicious, due to the fact he was carrying Pikachu in his arms and not a Poké Ball. While staying overnight at the Pokémon Center, Ash had his first encounter with the Team Rocket trio: Jessie, James, and Meowth. Ash and Pikachu foiled their plot to steal all the Pokémon in the Pokémon Center, thus beginning Team Rocket's obsession with capturing Ash's Pikachu.

The outskirts of Viridian City.

Sometime later, in The Battle of the Badge, Ash and his friends revisited Viridian City. They found the Viridian Gym, and Ash decided to fight the Gym Leader, but Gary ended up fighting him first (forcing Ash to wait outside due to the one-Trainer-at-a-time policy that Viridian Gym apparently has). After Togepi was carried off by a Fearow, Ash and friends went looking for it, only to find it in the Gym. They then noticed that Gary and his girlfriends were badly injured due to Mewtwo's attacks. After Ash fought and won a difficult and dangerous battle with Team Rocket, the Gym collapsed due to Togepi blowing up the stands. Ash picked up the Earth Badge Team Rocket lost. Afterwards, Ash and his friends left.

Ash later passed through Viridian on the way home in The Scheme Team, after the Ever Grande Conference. Visiting the site of the rebuilt Viridian Gym, circumstances ended up bringing him to the battlefield for a friendly one-on-one challenge with the temporary Gym Leader, KantoElite Four member Agatha. It is also here that Ash met up with Scott, the owner of the Battle Frontier and decided to take the Battle Frontier challenge.